Monophobia
by palomino333
Summary: Slight AU, set directly after the Battle City Finals. Mai's decision to remain with her friends triggers an interesting late night conversation with Yami no Yugi. Regalshipping


Regalshipping is a pairing that grew on me over the previous year. At first I wasn't sure how it would work, but as I got to examine the parallels between Mai and Yami (especially their fears of isolation, and the pyramids in which they were kept at different times in the show), the more I liked them together. The reason why I had Mai change her mind about leaving right after Battle City is I just didn't understand why she decided otherwise in canon. I get it; she's a tough girl, but after experiencing such forced isolation, you would think she would decide against running off. In the end, though, I wanted to show it wouldn't change anything, even if she did stay. Mai is a loner at heart, and that's not something that's subject to change.

The examination of Yugi and Yami's control of Yugi's body took elements from the sub and dub. In the dub, Yugi is one who strategizes for the most part in duels, while in the sub, Yami takes on the majority of the strategizing. I wanted to include both to provide a healthy balance of sorts. While one spirit is currently using Yugi's body, both Yugi and Yami (whomever is the "spirit" at the time) have demonstrated poltergeist-like activity. Each is able to pick up or put down an object. Either can also sit on a piece of furniture, or another solid surface.

* * *

><p>"Please, help me! Please!"<p>

Yami took a step back with a gasp of horror, his duel disk drawn in on himself like a shield, and his eyes cast up at the appalling sight before his shackled friend and him. Yugi's gasp was simultaneous, emphasizing the utter agony of the poor being before them. Mai, trapped within a suspended, clear pyramid, beat desperately upon the side closest to the two. Tears were streaming down her face. The lower half of her body was completely obscured by the gradually-rising level of sand that was encasing her, the low ceiling of the structure having forced her to her knees. Grains of sand continued to freely cascade, framing her long blonde hair and tight clothing. Mai's shoulders trembled, shuddering with her sobs. Her positively frightened expression, her eyes wide, as contrasting their usual narrowness that constituted logic and strategy, completed the miserable picture.

Her tormentor and jailer, meanwhile, lorded smugly over the scene with a mocking peal of laughter, and the extension of his glowing Sennen Rod upward at the young woman. He was the demented ringmaster of this hellish circus, and she was the main event. Yami gnashed his teeth against the animalistic exclamation of rage that was building up inside of him. He clenched his fists tightly, his fingernails scraping hard against his skin. This was utterly cruel and perverted. Marik may as well have stripped off her clothing before presenting her to this varied audience of her friends and admirers, a frustratingly aloof CEO, and his employees (the latter of which acted more like drones than people). Not once, not once had Yami ever seen Mai forced to her knees. What on earth was wrong with this malicious being that had wrought so much undeserved punishment on her?

Certainly, Yami and Yugi had both forced her to admit defeat back in Duelist Kingdom, but they had reaped no glory from it. For one thing, that duel in question had contained too much personal weight, with Yugi's grandfather being in danger, and the disagreements between yami and hikari concerning the past duel with Seto Kaiba. For another, the duel had been just as much as a rebirth for Yugi and Yami as it had been for Mai. Instead of resorting to pseudo-psychic tricks to get an edge on her opponent, she had utilized the best of her skills in order to produce a creative, and rather powerful, strategy. It had been a pity to see her place her hand over her deck, and Yami had felt regret at not being able to finish the battle correctly. He had wanted to see what other inventive concepts her refined deck had contained. Still, considering how a proud being like Mai had cast her eyes at her feet, it had been clear that she had had no further elements. That was why he had given her that thumbs-up. She had proven herself to be worthy adversary. Her skills had needed polishing, true, but she had had the passion of an excellent duelist.

While Yami had praised her strengths, Marik had devoted himself to picking at her weaknesses, effectively turning her into a helpless damsel that had wandered aimlessly in the darkness. Twice Yami had thrown himself forward to save her, first offering the hand to lead her out of the shadows, and later providing protection against the god's wrath. He hadn't felt like a hero. Without Marik's shadow powers, Mai wouldn't have needed his assistance. That was what made him feel ashamed. During the occurrence of Marik's Penalty Game, where had he been? Lying flat on the ground, unconscious.

That self-loathing had been compounded with Jonouchi's near-death experience, and the only relief had been in the vision of Sennen Tauk, and of course, in Jonouchi's subsequent recovery. Yami hadn't had the sort of bond of friendship with Jonouchi that Yugi had possessed, but it had still been a harsh blow. Of all things, the pharaoh hadn't thought he would have broken down and cried, but there he had been, leaning against the wall in tears with Yugi trying (and failing due to his own emotional disturbance) to calm him down. It had marked a breaking point for him. The stress of the Finals and the fear of what could happen if something went wrong, plus the rising number of Marik's victims…It had been too much to handle. At least he'd managed to pull himself out of it. What had added an extra crushing weight to Jonouchi's loss had been his motivation. He had wanted to save Mai with every fiber of his being. There had been no denying the fact that Katsuya carried a torch for her. If it hadn't been for Yami's intervention in the Winged God Dragon of Ra's attack, Kujaku and he would have been incinerated. The pharaoh could only imagine how Jonouchi was reacting to this gibbeted display of the woman he cared so much for, not to mention his best friend being chained. Yami had a feeling, however, that his own emotions ran rather close to the caliber of Katsuya's.

The pharaoh wished more than anything to change places with Yugi. Yami had gone through years among years of having to face the darkness within the Puzzle. He could take more. Yugi, on the other hand, had passed out upon extreme contact with the shadow magic during their duel with Pegasus. The wound of holding Yugi, lifeless, in his arms during that past duel, was ripped right back open, and this current duel hadn't even started yet. Pegasus had treated Yugi like a plaything, but he had at least kept his gentleman's decency (somewhat). Instead of sadistically bashing Muto's head into the metaphoric wall until his skull was cracked open, Pegasus had played his cards, and allowed the shadow magic to gather what precious little had remained of his opponent. With Marik, there was no telling what he would do. Yami was prepared to counter whatever would come his friend's way, but he wasn't sure just how much he could do. He'd been able to defend Mai (for the most part) because he hadn't been holding the cards at the time.

Mai…As the pyramid disappeared back into the depths of the shadows, despite the protests of himself and Yugi, Yami felt a small compulsion to go after it. That was squashed by the fact that he would be leaving Yugi undefended. He could only offer the fair-haired lady his apology for the time being. Muto tipped the scales in importance as compared to her. Yami never considered himself a romantic. When or how would he possibly have the time? Yet, he would be lying if he said that all he felt toward Kujaku was pure professionalism. It was just another sort of camaraderie with Jonouchi, but this duel wasn't just about her. As much as Yami didn't want to say it even to himself, Jonouchi had unfortunately allowed Marik to get under his skin. Not that that had led to his defeat; the culprit in the matter of the loss had been the sadist's dirty way of playing. Still, Katsuya's judgment had still been clouded at points with worry over Kujaku, and it had cut a few holes in his strategy.

Yami bit down hard on his lip to keep from smirking. He had even more to lose. If Yugi disappeared, he would cease to exist. No pressure or anything. He flicked his eyes up at Mutou, who gave a sober nod, his fists clenching and unclenching in anticipation of what was to come. Yami turned back, fixing his antagonist with a fierce glare. Marik simply let out a laugh, and Yami, honestly, wasn't surprised. The dark entity was used to receiving such a hostile look.

After Isono gave the announcement of the final duel's commencement, Yami raised his arm in the air, allowing his disk to connect into battle mode. He would make sure of the fact that Marik would never have the pleasure of seeing such an enraged reaction from him ever again after this duel was over.

XXXXXX

"Okay, my turn." Mai declared, her hand meaningfully placed on her hip.

"What's that?" Yami asked in disbelief, as if to make sure he had heard her words correctly.

The sunset's shades of oranges, pinks, and yellows illuminated Domino Pier in a calming manner, contrasting the heart-wrenching events that had taken place there not so long ago. The suffering of the Battle City Finals was likewise veiled by the glistening of the sun's rays on the water as it descended. Ships passed back and forth on the horizon. Industrial clangs periodically sounded from the nearby warehouses. Dark purple shadows drew long on the concrete. Just a few moments ago, Ryuji Otogi had disappeared into one set of those shadows, heading back into Domino City proper. It had been poignant for the group to see him go, especially considering the assistance and support he had offered during the tournament, but that had been his choice. Besides, he had balanced out the moment with comedy by leaving Shizuka his number, much to Honda's outrage.

But Mai leaving? The reactions of those who remained ranged from surprised, much like he was, to saddened. Anzu gave a soft gasp, her head turning sharply around to look at Kujaku. Honda raised an eyebrow, confused. Jonouchi jerked his head up, his mouth hanging open. A moment later, he concealed it by forcing his face into a somewhat impassive, state. His lips still twitched, however, and his shoulders rose and dropped. Shizuka shook her head, rubbing at her eyes. "Please don't go, Mai!" Her voice was hysterical.

Mai and Jonouchi started at her reaction. While Jonouchi placed his hand on his sister's shoulder, Mai spun to face her, a look of worry on her face. Raising her head, her eyes still closed, she continued, "You've helped me to become so much stronger! You're—you're like a big sister to me!" Mai's look of concern was replaced by a comforting smile as she briskly made her way over to Shizuka, who was vigorously wiping the last of the tears away. Honda attempted to sidle over and assist, but was scared back into his place by a meaningful grunt from Jonouchi. Yami frowned at the scene before him. Poor Shizuka. She had been so faithful, guarding Mai's bedside when her mind was gone, lest Marik return for a second round. Yami hadn't seen much of the relationship between the two girls himself, but the fact that Miss Katsuya did such a thing spoke volumes.

"Mai," Anzu piped up, taking a step forward, her hand extended, "we haven't seen you since Duelist Kingdom, and you've been through so much with us in Battle City. You can leave if you want, but you will be missed." Mai smiled sadly in response. Shizuka had gotten control of herself, hiccupping once before standing silently, her closed fist a few inches below her chin. Her eyes were clouded over with the anxiety of her friend leaving, her head slightly down.

Before Mai could reply, however, Jonouchi chimed in, "You have people here who care about ya." He clenched his fist before releasing it just as suddenly when she turned her attention to him. Jonouchi had poured his heart out to Mai when their backs were literally against the wall, but this circumstance was different.

Yugi's voice, as well as his confusion, coursed to Yami through the mind link. "I understand why Otogi left. Other than the current tournament, he only knew us from the Dungeon and Dice Monsters duel. But Mai? We shared a campsite with her in Duelist Kingdom, let alone all that happened during the Battle City finals. Why would she leave?"

Yami mentally shrugged. "She has her reasons, and we can't force her otherwise."

"That's true," Yugi replied, "but you and I both saw what Marik did to her." Yami smiled bitterly, placing his hand over the top right corner of the Sennen Puzzle for a moment before letting go. The pyramid was inverted, whereas the bottom half of the hourglass that Mai had been trapped within had been right side up. Sand...With each passing moment, a new grain had fallen onto Kujaku. Seeing her released, and practically glowing in her regained confidence gave Yami the drive to reach out, and grasp onto her. It would prove to himself that she was there. He resisted due to propriety. Walls among walls rose before his mind's eye, causing him to react by physically squeezing his eyes shut. Within that temple of loneliness, he had had no concept of time. Seconds had drawn painfully by, the shadows grasping him tightly…"Are you okay?" Yugi's urgent voice brought him out of it.

Snapping his eyes open, Yami answered, "Fine, thank you. I think you are onto something."

"What do you mean?"

Before he could answer his friend's question, Yami heard Mai reply to Katsuya, "I understand that, Jonouchi, and believe me, I can't thank you all enough for that."

The heels of her boots clacked on the pavement as she came to stand in the center of the group, stopping to continue, and raising her voice slightly to indicate everyone, "Seeing as how I'm not a schmaltzy person, I'll say this the best I can. I'm grateful for your help, and I had a blast getting to know each of you. I wouldn't trade it for the world." Her words would have sounded mechanical, had it not been for the seriousness of her tone. Her voice had dropped off of the platform of sardonic to land in an emotional area. Friendliness and warmth had shined through as she had looked between each person in turn. A soft smile had graced her face, her hand on her hip not in defiance, but in declaration. She had been proud to consider herself a member of their group. She gave a chuckle, and her voice switched right back into a business-like one. "But as much as that meant to me, that time's over. You know me, I can't stay in one place for too long. There's so much else to do out there." Kujaku jerked her thumb for emphasis in the direction of the alleyway, beyond which her car was parked.

"But surely you could stay a little longer," Yami began, raising a hand from where his arms were folded. She looked over at him, raising an eyebrow. He met her look head-on, not relaxing his questioning stance.

She lowered her eyebrow with a laugh. "Okay, what's with the effort? None of you made such a big deal out of keeping Otogi from leaving."

"He goes to school with us," Honda replied.

"Come on, Mai," Jonouchi pressed, "what's a few days gonna hurt?"

Mai sighed, closing her eyes and shaking her head. She raised a hand to the bridge of her nose, squeezing it. Her frown, however, progressively turned to a smile, and she released her face to look up at the sky before nodding. "All right, a few days. Once they're over, I'm leaving, and the next you'll see of me is in the dueling arena."

Shizuka gave out an exclamation of excitement, darting forward with her hands clasped together. "Thank you, Mai!"

Anzu gave a welcoming smile. "Well, we'll make the most of that time."

"Oh, that's easy," Honda replied, jamming his hands in his pockets with a smirk, "We always get in over our heads one way or another." While Mazaki gave Hiroto a reproachful look, causing him to shrug in return, Jonouchi joined his sister at Mai's side. His step was sauntering. Shizuka, meanwhile, was chattering to the blonde woman, who was keeping up as well as she could, breaking at intervals with words and a wave of the hand. The younger was asking rapid fire questions about what Mai liked to do in her spare time, as well as whether she liked the same things her addresser did. It was quite a difference in acting between brother and sister, their behaviors inverted. Jonouchi, usually so bold, looked unsure of himself. Skittish Shizuka was outgoing.

"That's odd," Yugi's voice returned.

"Hmm?" Yami replied as he watched Jonouchi draw closer and closer to the two young women. Katsuya even reached up to rub his chin.

"It wasn't until you said something that she started to change her mind," the student mused, "Wait a minute…" Yami's hand shot to the card holster at his belt in response. He felt Yugi's understanding. "Guess we'd better be ready for it."

A flash of amethyst came as Mai fixed her eyes on him once more before turning to Jonouchi, who had been trying to get her attention by calling her name in a low tone a few times. Yami wouldn't call the look predatory, necessarily, rather challenging. A certain hostility that was so characteristic of her had returned. Although slightly startling, it served as a testament to the fact that it was always best to be on his guard around her. Not that he was complaining. He enjoyed a good challenge.

Honda gave a sigh of exasperation, scuffing his shoe on the ground. "Might as well forget having any time with Shizuka."

Anzu rolled her eyes before turning to Yami, her face shifting from annoyed to tired. "There's still so much we have to do, isn't there?" He bit back a reply. Each fear and nightmare that had been generated from the insanity of Battle City had merely been a stepping stone. A ragtag band of duelists, the majority of them adolescents, had stood against mankind's darkest demons. Battle City's base draw had been of greed. Noa's virtual world had been comprised of corporate corruption. Reigning supreme over it all had been Marik's twisted games. Whatever was next to come, it was not something to which they could look forward.

A loud whirring came as the nighttime safety lights came on all at once, casting the pier in sporadic patches in white light. It illuminated Mazaki's worried expression, framing the lines and shadows of her frown. The remaining sliver of the sunset vanished beyond the water's horizon moments afterward. Yami shook his head, releasing the hold on his holster. "As much as I want to say otherwise, that would be a lie. In the meantime, we need to rest." Honda stifled a yawn with his hand as he nodded. Anzu's response was slower, but about the same, sans the yawn.

Shizuka turned her head back at her friends while Jonouchi spoke quietly with Mai. The younger girl gave a small smile, polite smile at them before calling over her shoulder, "Um, big brother?" Katsuya's head shot up, revealing a tint of redness on his cheeks. Mai's, meanwhile, were pallid. While he was flustered and nervous, she retained a sense of solid stature. Not that she was without sincerity, rather her countenance was pleasant, and a little anticipatory, as if trying to nudge her friend into what he wanted to say. "It's getting a little late, isn't it?" He nodded, but he still looked back at Mai.

"Don't worry, I'll be here tomorrow," Mai comforted with a reassuring smile before reaching into her pocket to procure a pen and paper.

While she scrawled on the paper, using the palm of her hand as her surface, Honda muttered, "Sheesh, she gives him her number." Jonouchi shot him a defensive glare. Yami and Anzu looked at each other, and held back laughs. A crumpling of paper was heard as she pressed the finished entry into his hand, closing his fingers over it. Jonouchi, as much as he tried to play it down by shrugging and pocketing it, couldn't hide his elated grin. Yami swallowed back a hint of bitterness. Whatever conversation had passed between them, he was glad he hadn't heard.

Jonouchi cleared his throat. "Anybody wanna meet anywhere tomorrow?"

"How about Domino City Plaza?" Anzu offered, "It's in the center of the city, after all."

"Sounds good to me," Honda replied.

"What time's good, ten?" Mai asked.

"Ten? More like one, seeing as how these two sleep," Mazaki responded, indicating Jonouchi and Honda with her hand.

Kujaku chuckled. "Okay, one it is."

Shizuka gave a yawn of her own, and Honda tried his luck once more. "Don't worry, Jonouchi. I can get her home if you need."

"Don't get any ideas," his friend hissed, snapping back into his regular character and gripping his sister's hand, "why don't we get going?"

"Okay," she responded quickly as he tugged her over to him.

"Yugi!"

"Jonouchi?" Yami responded, raising his head in acknowledgement. Katsuya's clenched fist found its place before his chest, his grin suspended above. Yami nodded in response, returning the grin. His coat tail brushed once more over the card holster, where the Red Eyes Black Dragon rested at the bottom.

"'Night, guys," Jonouchi called as he retreated down the alley, Shizuka just behind.

"Good night!" Shizuka added as she slipped away after him.

Once they had vanished from sight, Honda raised his arms in a stretch. One of them bent for him to rub the back of his head. "About time I called it a night, too. See ya." He waved as he left.

The remaining three watched silently after him until Mai's comment broke the silence. "He really needs to take a hint."

Anzu put a hand to her head. "Tell me about it. Thing is, she isn't the first girl he's been like this over. Don't get me started on Miho. We'll be here all night."

Yami smirked. "I don't suppose you see the irony of this, do you?"

"What?" Mazaki asked curiously.

"Shizuka's most powerful card was Saint Joan. What was the historical significance of that figure?" He quizzed. A few moments passed as the two ladies though this over, their expressions puzzled. He allowed them to take their time. Suddenly, the two burst out laughing before descending into giggles behind their hands. The laughter was catching, as it caused him to chuckle a little as well.

A short clink came as Mai removed her car keys from her opposite pocket. "How about I treat you two to a ride home? Beats the hell out of walking." Not ones to pass up an opportunity, the two followed her away from the pier, with the tide continuously lapping up against it, and the motors of the passing luxury and cargo ships droning into the night.

XXXXXX

The streets of Domino City zoomed past in bright patches of pink, green, blue, and yellow from advertisements and signs over different businesses. Wind whistled through the convertible, whipping the driver and passengers' hair back. "I forgot what it was like to cruise through here," Mai remarked as she turned the wheel, "With all the roadblocks that were up during Battle City, you were better off walking most of the time."

"It's gonna be weird, adjusting back to normal," Anzu's voice came from the back seat, "After seeing so many people out at once, it's like a ghost town." Yami could see her point. Few to no pedestrians passed on the sidewalk, and quite a few shops, although still having their overheard lights on, had either closed up, or were closing. Traffic was scarce. It was as if Domino City itself was taking a night to rejuvenate from the tournament.

Once the car left the main road for the quieter residential areas, Mai asked who lived closer, and as Mazaki was the one to reply to the affirmative, she began asking her for directions. Yami leaned a little more on his side door, his head resting back a further against the seat cushion as exhaustion finally begun to hit him full force. His fingers slipped off the door's handle to land in his lap. Yugi's concern for his welfare coursed through him. Yami smiled to himself, leaning on that care for him as a sense of support. He was all right, but it was nice to save a little extra assistance.

"One more left here…Okay, this is my place. Thank you so much for the ride." Mai and Yami turned to look back at Anzu as she undid her seat belt.

"No problem," Kujaku replied before twisting back around, "See you tomorrow."

Mazaki was slower to move, her hand pausing on the door as she locked her blue gaze with Yami's. The worry was back, clouding them. The duel with Marik had placed a mental strain on him, no doubt about it. But Yugi? She had watched her childhood friend vanish and reappear before her very eyes. It was he she wanted to see, not him. Yami let out a soft sigh, allowing Yugi to take over for a few moments. As long as he was still in the car with Mai, it was best if Yami stayed in control for the majority of the time.

Mai's fierce look burned itself into his mental retina as he drifted out of the vessel he shared. Tiredness and dizziness fell away. He was adrift once more in the darkness, although this was a soothing sort, alleviating the exhaustion from before. He could have watched Yugi and Anzu if he so pleased, but he decided against it. Yami knew he couldn't keep his attraction to Mai a secret from Yugi. It was easy in the physical realm; his stoicism provided the safety net against too many personal details becoming common knowledge. Mentally, however, it was something different altogether. Yugi had to have been blind to not have noticed Yami's pain at seeing Mai suffer as she did. Thankfully, student and pharaoh kept each other's secrets. Yami swallowed Yugi's fear and doubts during a duel, and Yugi tirelessly provided a penny for Yami's thoughts when no one else would hear. Yugi never informed Jonouchi of Yami's feelings for Mai, and Yami spared Yugi embarrassment by not spelling out Muto's affection for Anzu to her.

The release was ended by a bright flash of gold. It was his turn once more. Yami's eyes opened to reveal Mazaki's retreating form as she headed up the sidewalk to her house, the lawn lights providing her guide past the dark grass.

"Yugi?" Yami turned back to Mai, whose one hand was braced on the transmission, the other on the wheel. Her mouth was drawn into a line in anticipation. He nodded his head, and she kicked it into drive, taking off down the remaining length of the road before turning. "Hey, is it okay if we take a detour? I want to ask you a few things." Mai questioned suddenly, turning her head away from the road to look at him for a moment. A short time after, she pulled off to the side, and shifted into park.

"This is quite the detour," Yami deadpanned.

She let out a clipped laugh. "No, this isn't it. I just wanted to give you a chance to choose. I know it's late, and you probably want to get back. Besides," Mai leaned forward, an eyebrow quirked, and a playful smile on her face, "I don't want to make it seem like I'm kidnapping you."

Her teasing was met with a sense of adversity from Yami. As much as he wished to lean forward, as well, and grow closer to those golden waves that were flowing over her shoulders, he resisted. Folding his arms and crossing one leg over the other, he asked, "What sort of questions, Mai?" The roar of an engine rose and fell with distance as another car sped by, casting its headlights over them for a moment before disappearing.

She straightened up, her lighthearted expression exchanged for seriousness before she raised her finger, and pointed at the Puzzle. "Back in Duelist Kingdom, I'd only thought of this as a piece of jewelry," she shrugged, "I wasn't sure how to explain how your body changed, or how you survived Player Killer of Darkness' flames, but I also didn't want to know. There was something going on at that tournament that wasn't right, and to tell the truth, after I saw what Pegasus did to Kaiba, I wasn't even curious anymore. I learned to know better."

"But," she continued, lowering her hand with a bitter smile, "just my luck, I ran into that sort of unknown thing again." Mai shook her head, looking down. "I'm not ungrateful for you saving me, Yugi, but I want an explanation." Yami, although he felt compelled to give it to her, was unsure of whether or not to agree. He still had to get Yugi's body home, and that duel with Jonouchi still needed to be had.

"Go ahead," Yugi reassured him, "She deserves to know."

"I wouldn't deny that," Yami replied carefully, "but she is going to be leaving in a short amount of time. Jonouchi and Anzu remained with us in Battle City, yet Malik was still able to use them against us. We don't know who might get a hold of Mai in the future."

Yugi sighed. "Yami, I know this is risky, but if you wanted her to stay, it wouldn't be fair to keep this from her." He wasn't accusatory, and the pharaoh had to admit he had a point. Yami would be lying to himself if he said he thought Mai could handle any situation on her own. The mental images of her chained or otherwise imprisoned were still fresh in his mind. As a result, she was distorted from a powerful duelist to a fragile doll that needed to be protected, and that wasn't her at all.

After a final moment of consideration, he conceded. "All right, what do you want to know?"

Locking eyes with him once more, she gave a sly smile. "Anything you can tell me."

As she eased the car back into drive, he added, "Just to forewarn you, it will not be a short story."

XXXXXX

"A little quiet," Mai murmured, the convertible grinding to a halt, "but I think it'll do." Yami nodded before unbuckling his seatbelt, and opening the door to step out. The city park greeted them silently, the lamp posts revealing no source of activity. The swing set on the playground squeaked for a moment, and a look in its direction revealed the wind to be blowing the swing. The sight was a little unsettling, but not threatening. Mai's car was the only one in the lot, and should anyone had been lurking about in the area, Yami doubted his or her ability to subdue either duelist, so long as the two stayed together, and close to the vehicle. Jingling came as Mai twirled her keys around her finger. "Well, what're we waiting for?"

He held out his hand invitingly ahead. "Lead the way." Passing a few trashcans and posts scattered about the path, she came to a bench just beneath a tree, and sat down upon it. Stretching before her was an open field that the children used for playing assorted games during the day. Yami took his place upon the bench as well, making sure to leave as comfortable a space between them as its width would allow. The city buildings towered overhead, their windows yellow squares. A helicopter's blades cut noisily through the air before vanishing over them.

Mai broke the silence. "You aren't Yugi, are you?"

Yami shook his head. "Technically speaking, no. I share his body, but I am a separate entity."

Mai titled her head to the side, a suspicious look on her face. "Then who are you?"

He smiled politely, holding out his hand. "Call me Yami."

She eyed it up a few moments before taking it. "Okay, Yami." The awkwardness of the moment dropped away somewhat as she added jokingly, "To think you're just introducing yourself to me now. I can't imagine what sort of identity crises you must have."

"You have no idea," he replied, releasing her hand.

Mai blinked at that, but shook her head, deciding out loud, "One question at a time."

Clearing her throat, she inquired, "Before I ask anything else, I wanna know if I'm completely talking to you. Even when you're in…control, I guess…of his body, you still interact with the others like Yugi would."

Leaning back on the bench and folding his arms his stomach, Yami answered, "That's a complicated matter. You have to understand, this is Yugi's body, not mine. He has more power over it than I. While he is in control, I can try to influence his thought processes indirectly by speaking with him in his mind, but directly talking through him? That I can't do. Yugi, however, can talk through me at intervals, but it depends upon the situation."

Mai knit her brow, turning back to look out at the field as she mulled this over. Yami wished he could have elaborated on the topic a little more, but even he wasn't sure how that could have been arranged. Her clothing rustled as she turned back to look at him. When she spoke, a touch of venom was in her voice, "So, does that mean I'm talking to you, or to Yugi? I don't take well to being tricked."

Yami dropped his arms, using a finger to indicate himself. "Rest assured, you are speaking with me." Another breeze arose, and Mai reflexively contracted in on herself to hold in the heat beneath her jacket. The movement made her seem so delicate. The swing set creaked again in the background. Yami tapped his fingers against the side of his leg. He was so close to her, but touching her was out of the question.

"Quite a few people called you a pharaoh. I take it they were telling the truth?" Mai asked pointedly once the wind had died down. He nodded. She smirked. "You want me to grovel at your feet now?"

Yami shook his head. "I would be offended if you did."

"Good," she returned, rising to her feet and pushing her long hair over one shoulder.

Turning on her heel, she asked, "Why are you still here, if you lived so long ago?"

"That's the mystery we're trying to solve," Yami replied simply, "from what Isis told me, during my reign as pharaoh 3000 years ago, I saved the world. In modern times, I must do the same thing over again, and the key to do so lies in unlocking my memories."

Mai looked perturbed. "No offense, but don't you think that's a little too far-fetched?"

He nodded. "Of course it is, but it is all to which I can cling," he leaned forward to prop his elbows up on his knees, "I have no memory of my past life, and all whom I have known are deceased."

Holding up the Puzzle with one hand, he continued, "This is the key to my existence, Mai. I cannot begin to tell you how I long to be free, and for that I am willing to take any chance I can."

She shook her head, a scowl on her face. "You don't know that, though. Isis doesn't seem like someone who would lie, but look at her family. You saw how crazy her brother went from having to be a tomb keeper."

"But he found his sanity in the end," he presented gently.

Her scowl deepened. "That's true, but you're missing the point. Think about it. These people chased a belief for thousands of years. If you're going to feed into that belief, you'll probably lose it, too."

Yami gave a sardonic smile, releasing the Puzzle. Bitterness flavored his words. "I'm afraid your warning has come too late. Much like Malik, I too had once delved into madness."

Mai's eyebrows were threatening to disappear into her hairline. "You of all people? Tell me you're kidding."

He rose, but took not a step toward her. "I wish I was. I told you that I had ruled Ancient Egypt 3000 years ago. I spent the time that followed," grasping the Puzzle with both hands, he held it up, "in here." Mai's breath faltered, but she made no movement to leave, her eyes fixated on his Sennen Item. He took her long pause as his invitation to continue. "Perhaps I had once known the passage of time, but even that fell away from me. It had become a moment to moment experience, hoping that someone would eventually assemble it."

"And that someone was Yugi," she mused.

"Yes."

Her eyes raised slowly from the object its holder. Reaching out a hand before her as if blind, she took a few steps forward. The movement was ghostly and unsettling, and he couldn't help but tense at the sight. "The isolation got to you, didn't it?" Mai asked, stopping in the middle of the path.

Yami nodded. "Sad to say, yes."

Her lips moved, but no sound came out. Licking them, she tried again. "You know what it's like for me, don't you?" Another nod.

Slowly, slowly, she came closer until her face was inches from his. Violet swam before him in a pool of white and gold. A moment later, it vanished to be buried in his shoulder. Her arms remained stiffly by her sides. Yami, surprised for a moment, took a step back. The movement gave her enough room to tilt her head up at him. How could someone's eyes have such an effect? They bared to him a reflection, although minimized somewhat. Making friends and saying good-bye just as soon...Watching the shadows stand sentinels on the wall far too many times in rooms of numbness and hopelessness…

He placed a hand on her shoulder, pushing her body closer to his. Mai raised her hand in response and placed it in the center of his chest. "This is Yugi's heart," she whispered half to herself, her eyes leaving his for a moment to glance at the black fabric that covered his chest. A sort of unhappiness lanced through him at the statement, but it was smoothed off by acceptance. Of course it was. Once again, he was staring into that slanted mirror. "He means a lot to you, doesn't he?" Mai asked softly.

"Yes," Yami responded, "he's like a son to me."

Her free hand gripped the back of his raised arm as she remarked, regret plain to hear, "You're too young to say that, Yami." At that, she let go of his arm, and her hand slid off. Although he would rather not, he released her shoulder, allowing her to take a few steps back. "When you find the person who did this to you, what are you going to do?" Mai asked.

He shook his head. "I can't make that decision." Mai's scowl returned, and he continued, "When the time comes that I must save the world once more, I would rather all of you be safe than my own wishes being fulfilled," a tinge of anger entered his voice as he continued, "Trust me when I say this, if I would rather have punished Marik far more, if given another chance, after I saw what he did to you, Yugi, and so many others for his own gain."

Her face fell, and she let out a defeated sigh, sparing her duel disk a glance. "You just answered my last question."

"Could I hear it anyway?" Yami solicited.

She raised her head back up. "If you could, would you stay here in the modern era, instead of chasing the past?" Mai's hair flew in a circle as she turned back on her heel to look out at the city again. "There're a few other reasons why I chose this place to talk," taking a shuddering breath, she explained, "When I was trapped in that hourglass, Marik forced me to see all of you happy without me. I'd be alone forever. In this park, you get that same feeling at night. Not a soul around. In a way, I wanted to confront what happened, so I could move on."

"But you wanted someone with you," Yami filled in, stepping forward.

She nodded. "What can I say, it isn't easy. Nothing is." When she turned back to look at him, he saw a hardened expression on her face. "The second reason is I want to win my dignity back." She held up her duel disk for emphasis. Yami poised his hand over his holster.

Mai shook her head, her face softening. "Relax, I'm not going to duel you tonight. But one of these days, in this field, I want to. It's only fitting."

Yami's hand fell back at his side. "I understand and accept."

"Thanks," she held up a finger, "Only one exception: no god cards. One is enough to handle, but three? Come on."

"That's tolerable," he agreed.

Mai smiled sadly. "Look at you. You have the most extraordinary cards in your deck, and you're so modest," she shook her head, her hands on her hips, "You do what you have to with this whole 'saving the world' thing, but at least let me kick whoever this son of a bitch is in the testicles."

Yami swallowed back a laugh. This was serious. Instead, he returned, "Could I possibly ask a question of my own?"

"I don't see why not. I basically put you through the wringer."

He smiled, but it slid away. "Do you ever think you could possibly try living in one place?"

Mai shrugged. "I tried it a few times. It didn't work out that well. You know what it's like; you get so used to being alone, it becomes part of your nature."

Yami groaned. She had him there. "But we both also can't deny the other side of it. The torture we faced was the same. We were sealed away from those we cared about."

Mai shook her head. "Everyone suffers something in their lives, Yami. You can't protect everyone from everything. Trust me, I've been there. You think it was fun watching Jonouchi in that duel on Domino Pier?"

"Of course not," he replied, "but here is my position. In that same duel, Yugi didn't remove the Puzzle just to help Jonouchi snap out of Malik's control. He also did that so I couldn't interfere. Even though I can switch at will with him, it is still Yugi's life that this body is living, not mine. You, on the other hand, have no such issue. Your life is your own. Mai, I beg your pardon if you got the wrong message from what I said. That was not what I intended. What I meant was I envy you," shaking his head, Yami finished, "You're right, I can't protect you from solitude, especially considering I can't even save myself. That's why I asked. I wanted to know if you at least tried to break out of this vicious cycle, and you did. That alone means a great amount to hear."

Mai made no movement for a short while, and he didn't blame her. It was quite a bit to take at once, but she had wanted to know. The fall of her chest indicated the release of a great breath as she held out her hand to him. "That took a lot to say, didn't it?"

"It did," he affirmed, taking and squeezing it.

She squeezed back, an oddly meek smile on her face. "I take back what I said before. You're much older than I first thought."

"I get it from all of you," Yami replied sincerely, bringing up her hand to place a kiss upon it. He released it right after.

Mai turned in the direction of her car. "We should probably go."

He nodded. "After you." The squeak of the swing set's chains came once more, stopping Yami in his tracks while Mai continued. There hadn't been a breeze this time, not a single stirring of fabric, hair, or blade of grass. Turning in the direction of the playground, his nerves gave way to relief as he saw the transparent image of Yugi sitting on it, and the outline of his approving smile.


End file.
